Patents by Inventor Kyle Pfeifer

Kyle Pfeifer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20210369501
    Abstract: A welding helmet for detecting arc data is provided. One embodiment of the welding helmet includes an arc detection system configured to detect one or more welding arcs that occur during one or more welding operations. The welding helmet also includes control circuitry configured to count a number of the one or more welding arcs detected by the arc detection system. The welding helmet includes a storage device configured to store the number of the one or more welding arcs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Kyle A. Pfeifer, Eric T. Sommers
  • Patent number: 11110009
    Abstract: A welding helmet for detecting arc data is provided. One embodiment of the welding helmet includes an arc detection system configured to detect one or more welding arcs that occur during one or more welding operations. The welding helmet also includes control circuitry configured to count a number of the one or more welding arcs detected by the arc detection system. The welding helmet includes a storage device configured to store the number of the one or more welding arcs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: William J. Becker, Kyle A. Pfeifer, Eric T. Sommers
  • Patent number: 11110537
    Abstract: Welding systems including welding torch assemblies are provided. The welding torch assembly may include a welding torch adapted to be utilized in a welding operation to establish a welding arc between the welding torch and a workpiece. Shielding gas may be supplied to the welding torch for establishment of a gas shielding area around a weld pool. The welding torch assembly may also include a temperature sensing system having a non-contact temperature sensor coupled to the welding torch and adapted to sense a temperature of the workpiece at a location outside of the molten weld pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Bornemann, Kyle A. Pfeifer, Richard M. Achtner
  • Patent number: 10702003
    Abstract: In one aspect, a protective headwear is provided and includes a support member configured to engage a user's head, an outer shell coupled to the support member and rotatable relative to the support member between a first position and a second position, and a member coupled between the support member and the outer shell to reduce angular velocity of the outer shell as it moves from the first position to the second position. In one aspect, the protective headwear is a welding helmet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers, Kyle Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 10482788
    Abstract: A welding training system includes a welding training software having a first training mode configured to simulate a welding arc and a second training mode configured to use a live welding arc. The welding training system is configured to block welding power flow between a welding power supply and a welding torch while the welding training software is in the first training mode. The welding training system is also configured to enable the welding power to flow between the welding power supply and the welding torch while the welding training software is in the second training mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Becker, Kyle A. Pfeifer
  • Publication number: 20170169729
    Abstract: A welding training system includes a welding training software having a first training mode configured to simulate a welding arc and a second training mode configured to use a live welding arc. The welding training system is configured to block welding power flow between a welding power supply and a welding torch while the welding training software is in the first training mode. The welding training system is also configured to enable the welding power to flow between the welding power supply and the welding torch while the welding training software is in the second training mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: William J. Becker, Kyle A. Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 9666100
    Abstract: A welding training system includes a welding surface, a computer configured to execute a welding training software, and a calibration device. The welding training system also includes a sensor communicatively coupled to the computer and configured to sense a position of the calibration device, an orientation of the calibration device, or some combination thereof. The sensor is also configured to provide calibration data to the welding training software to calibrate a location of the welding surface relative to the sensor. The calibration data includes the position of the calibration device, the orientation of the calibration device, or some combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: William J. Becker, Kyle A. Pfeifer
  • Publication number: 20170143549
    Abstract: A welding helmet for detecting arc data is provided. One embodiment of the welding helmet includes an arc detection system configured to detect one or more welding arcs that occur during one or more welding operations. The welding helmet also includes control circuitry configured to count a number of the one or more welding arcs detected by the arc detection system. The welding helmet includes a storage device configured to store the number of the one or more welding arcs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: William J. Becker, Kyle A. Pfeifer, Eric T. Sommers
  • Patent number: 9583023
    Abstract: A welding training system includes a welding training software having a first training mode configured to simulate a welding arc and a second training mode configured to use a live welding arc. The welding training system is configured to block welding power flow between a welding power supply and a welding torch while the welding training software is in the first training mode. The welding training system is also configured to enable the welding power to flow between the welding power supply and the welding torch while the welding training software is in the second training mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: William J. Becker, Kyle A. Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 9566192
    Abstract: A welding helmet for detecting arc data is provided. One embodiment of the welding helmet includes an arc detection system configured to detect one or more welding arcs that occur during one or more welding operations. The welding helmet also includes control circuitry configured to count a number of the one or more welding arcs detected by the arc detection system. The welding helmet includes a storage device configured to store the number of the one or more welding arcs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: William J. Becker, Kyle A. Pfeifer, Eric T. Sommers
  • Publication number: 20160346862
    Abstract: Welding systems including welding torch assemblies are provided. The welding torch assembly may include a welding torch adapted to be utilized in a welding operation to establish a welding arc between the welding torch and a workpiece. Shielding gas may be supplied to the welding torch for establishment of a gas shielding area around a weld pool. The welding torch assembly may also include a temperature sensing system having a non-contact temperature sensor coupled to the welding torch and adapted to sense a temperature of the workpiece at a location outside of the molten weld pool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Brian J. Bornemann, Kyle A. Pfeifer, Richard M. Achtner
  • Patent number: 9415459
    Abstract: Welding systems including welding torch assemblies are provided. The welding torch assembly may include a welding torch adapted to be utilized in a welding operation to establish a welding arc between the welding torch and a workpiece. Shielding gas may be supplied to the welding torch for establishment of a gas shielding area around a weld pool. The welding torch assembly may also include a temperature sensing system having a non-contact temperature sensor coupled to the welding torch and adapted to sense a temperature of the workpiece at a location outside of the molten weld pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Brian J. Bornemann, Kyle A. Pfeifer, Richard M. Achtner
  • Publication number: 20160183622
    Abstract: In one aspect, a protective headwear is provided and includes a support member configured to engage a user's head, an outer shell coupled to the support member and rotatable relative to the support member between a first position and a second position, and a member coupled between the support member and the outer shell to reduce angular velocity of the outer shell as it moves from the first position to the second position. In one aspect, the protective headwear is a welding helmet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers, Kyle Pfeifer
  • Publication number: 20130291271
    Abstract: A welding helmet for detecting arc data is provided. One embodiment of the welding helmet includes an arc detection system configured to detect one or more welding arcs that occur during one or more welding operations. The welding helmet also includes control circuitry configured to count a number of the one or more welding arcs detected by the arc detection system. The welding helmet includes a storage device configured to store the number of the one or more welding arcs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Becker, Kyle A. Pfeifer, Eric T. Sommers
  • Publication number: 20130264322
    Abstract: Welding systems including welding torch assemblies are provided. The welding torch assembly may include a welding torch adapted to be utilized in a welding operation to establish a welding arc between the welding torch and a workpiece. Shielding gas may be supplied to the welding torch for establishment of a gas shielding area around a weld pool. The welding torch assembly may also include a temperature sensing system having a non-contact temperature sensor coupled to the welding torch and adapted to sense a temperature of the workpiece at a location outside of the molten weld pool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Brian J. Bornemann, Kyle A. Pfeifer, Richard M. Achtner